Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a multi-purpose weeder and, more particularly, to a weeder having an auger rigidly connected to a pair of spiral shaped blades for weeding, aerating and tilling soil.
2. Prior Art
A multiplicity of gardening tools and implements as well as numerous chemical preparations have been used in the past for deterring, removing or destroying a variety of undesirable weed and plant growths that appear in lawns, gardens or the like. Obviously, the presence of such growths greatly detracts from the appearance of the lawn or garden and most weeds have a detrimental and adverse effect upon surrounding desirable growth, such as vegetation and flowers. Unfortunately, the removal and destruction of weeds has not been accomplished to a desired degree. Cultivation of plants in close proximity thereto is not possible without injury to the plant, and breaking up of hard soils, such as dry clay, is difficult.
Many of the undesirable weed and plant growths include elaborate and complex root systems. Other growths incorporate roots of tough and stringy fibrous texture that are difficult to sever or remove from the surrounding earth. Because of these weed characteristics and difficulties being encountered when employing conventional gardening devices, weed growth is not inhibited. Usually, despite much effort, the root system of the weed is left behind only to regenerate the problem for another day.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,554,293 and 3,444,934 to Aman et al. and Alberto, respectively, disclose powered weeding devices having blade means for destroying weeds and spring-operated penetrating means for digging beneath the surface of the ground. Other weed extracting devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,129,771 and 4,723,802 to Lidstone and Fambrough, respectively. Such devices penetrate beneath the ground by way of a sharp tip at the soil engaging section of the weeding devices. Such tools as described above have been developed for standing, stooping, or crouching upon the knees while being operated.
Unfortunately, after such devices have removed weeds, the topsoil is typically left in an undesirable condition for planting vegetables and bulbs, for example. Thus, the topsoil must be aerated and tilled with additional gardening devices before it is suitable for reuse. Locating and using additional devices is cumbersome because such tasks require time and effort. Accordingly, there is a need for a weeding device that can effectively remove a weed and prepare soil for planting a bulb, vegetation and/or a flower, for example.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a multi-purpose weeder with an auger rigidly connected to a pair of spiral shaped blades for weeding, aerating and tilling soil. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention, are provided by a multi-purpose weeding apparatus preferably formed from steel and attachable to a hand-held rotary power implement. The weeder includes an elongated vertical shaft having a longitudinal axis between an upper end and a lower end and removably attachable to a power implement for causing rotation of the shaft about the axis. The shaft has a sufficient vertical length so that a user of the weeder may be generally erect while using the weeder. Advantageously, a user will more likely not get back pain from operating the present invention.
The weeder further includes a soil engaging section including a pair of substantially spiral-shaped blades having lower ends connected to the shaft and forming an acute angle with the shaft to cause discharge of weeds dug by the weeder upwardly and outwardly from soil when the shaft is rotated. An auger has a free end and a top end connected to the lower end of the shaft and is engagable with a weed and soil so that the weeder will penetrate a weed and simultaneously remove same from soil. Thereafter, the soil is left in a generally aerated and tilled condition for reuse. Advantageously, while unwanted weeds are being removed, the soil is aerated and tilled for planting vegetation, a flower, or a bulb, for example.
The weeder further includes an annular member and a cross horizontal element disposed within and connected at its opposed ends to the member. The element has a central aperture for receiving the shaft therethrough and is rigidly connected to the shaft about the aperture.
Each of the blades has an upper end rigidly affixed to at least the element and/or the member. The pair of opposed ends of the element may be spaced between about two inches and eight inches apart from each other. Each blade also has a sharpened edge extending between its upper and lower ends for cutting and removing weeds from soil wherein the blades are divergent from the shaft towards the element and converge in a substantially spiral path downward about the shaft. The shaft may have a diameter between about 0.25 inches to 0.50 inches.
The auger may be between about one-half inch to two inches long and may be a lag screw for penetrating into a weed and hard soil. Such a lag screw is approximately two inches long. The screw includes a plurality of spaced spiral projections for moving weed and soil upwardly therethrough to be expended above ground. Alternate to the lag screw, the free end of the auger may include a pair of spurs extending therefrom and a lead screw disposed substantially along the axis and between the spurs.
Each blade includes leading and trailing edges and generally planar surfaces between the edges wherein the leading edges are sharpened for initially contacting ground and removing a weed therefrom and the trailing edges are dull to inhibit accidental injury. The blades are offset approximately 180 degrees about the shaft and are equally spaced apart from the shaft substantially along the lengths of the blades. The blades also uniformly converge towards each other in a helical path from the upper end to the lower end of the shaft.
The weeder further comprises a rotary implement for rotating the shaft that is battery-powered. The implement may have direction control so that the weeder can be driven in one direction for penetrating ground and can be driven in an opposite direction for being removed from ground. The implement may also have variable speed control for adjusting the rotational speed of the shaft.